Improvement in boots and shoes



G. W. 'LHB-LOW' BOOT 0R SHOE.

No. 39,156. Patented July '7, 1863.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

GEORGE W. LUDLOW, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

I'MPRovl-:MENT IN sooTs AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.139,l56, dated July 7, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, GEORGE W. LUDLOW, ot Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful I mprovementin Boots and Shoes 5 and I -do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear andexact description ofthe same, reference eing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which'- Figure 1' represents a sectional side elevationof my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation" of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two igures.

Qlhis invention consists inthe application of a dat spring of steel or other suitable mate'- -rial tothe back seam of a boot or shoe in such a manner that bythe action ot' said spring the ankle is braced or supported, and, furthermore, the wrinklin g and creasing of those parts contiguous to the back seam is prevented, and a shoe is produced which will tit neatly and .symmetrically to the foot, and the operation of putting on the shoe 'is facilitated.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a shoe made of leather or any other suitable material, and of that class ,In the back seam, a, of this shoe I insert a spring, b, made of a flat strip of steel or any other suitable material. This sprin g extends from the heel c up to the top edge of the shoe, and it is fastened" by means ot' clasps d,which pass through slots in the spring and through ,the leather, and are bent up tight on the inside, or any other fastening may be used. The spring may be held at the bottom by eX- tending it between the heel and inner sole of the shoe, or it may terminate at the upper edge ot' the heel and be fastened in any desirable manner. When the foot is introduced into the shoe, the spring b will adapt itself to its shape and support the ankle, and particularly when the shoe is laced up the spring will be drawn up tight to that part of the foot above the heel, and it will not only serve as a support', but it will also prevent those parts of thel shoe contiguous tothe back seam from wrinkling, and a symmetricallyttin-g shoe will be produced. The spring also acts as a horn in putting on the shoe. The back sealn is rendered stii' and prevented from breaking down under the foot, and consequently the foot will slip right in with the greatest ease and facility.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The application ot a spring, b, to the back seam of a boot or shoe, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE W. LUDLOW. Witnesses:

ROB. W, LoUDEB., GEO. W. REED. 

